New Ubuntu Installer Will Be Released Soon

Currently, Canonical is working hard these days to redesign the Ubuntu installer (also known as Ubiquity) into something a little more in tune with our times. It has been briefy written in privious post on (Karmic Koala) that Ubiquity has now a “Quit” button during all the installation steps, so you can quit the installer at any time. Moreover, the time zone selection items have been changed a little to reflect the region/zone only, and not the city.

Today, what the Ubuntu developers intend to add next in the Ubiquity installer. The package is called “ubiquity-slideshow-ubuntu” and it is designed to offer an Ubuntu-flavored slideshow for the Ubiquity installer. What this means? Those of you who installed Microsoft Windows XP or Mandriva Linux, or openSUSE already know what this slideshow is supposed to do. Long story short, it will display some content, every 20 seconds or so, especially created to introduce new users to the Ubuntu operating system, while installing it. Please take a look at the video clips below to see a mockup content for the Ubiquity slideshow. The second video was provided to us by Mads Rosendahl (MadsRH).





“The technology and design for our slideshow is now reasonably established, so it’s time to polish up the content and get things rolling towards a release. There have been many good ideas about how to treat the content for the slideshow. Some different opinions on the writing style, the topics covered and the types of users who will be viewing this. So far, there is a lot of room for interpretation. It seems that the best way to get things rolling will be to lay out all the guidelines, thoughts and content in a reasonably equal fashion, all at once, and then DECIDE (preferably on something that is already done, since time is fairly critical here).” - said the developers.

The content that will be featured in the Ubiquity slideshow is still to be determined. For now, they divided it into two main categories:

1. Some simple text about various applications and what you can do with them;
2. Original content, with normal paragraphs, about the Ubuntu operating system and some included applications.
Both categories will include the following slides:
· Welcome message
· Browse the web with Firefox
· Relive Memories with F-Spot Photo Manager
· Accessibility in Ubuntu
· Ubuntu speaks fluently
· Control your digital life with Evolution
· Keep in contact with Pidgin IM
· OpenOffice - Office tools at your fingertips
· Watch and listen on Ubuntu
· Installing additional software
· Getting Help with Ubuntu

Related link : ERM Blog

Malaysian surfers slowing down to facebook due to Moracot

Internet users in Malaysia may have trouble surfing websites hosted in the United States and Taiwan for the next couple of weeks due to damage to a submarine cable system.

Internet service provider TM said there would be slow connectivity after the Asia-Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN2) submarine cable system was damaged by unknown causes.

The ISP has posted an alert on its website (www.tm.com.my) informing users of this, a company spokesman said.

The damage was first discovered in July. Internet connectivity was supposed to return to normal by Aug 16.

However, TM discovered two more faults which occurred on Aug 6 and Aug 12.

The last damage was detected near Taiwan but the cause has still not been ascertained.

“Our technicians are on the job and we are waiting for confirmation on what caused the damage to the APCN2 system,” said the spokesman, adding that a full recovery of Internet services will now be delayed.

The company was also unable to confirm whether the damage was caused by Typhoon Morakot, which swept over Taiwan and caused Internet users in Singapore to experience a slowdown.

The Straits Times reported that the typhoon, which caused the worst flooding in Taiwan in 50 years, damaged the APCN2 system and made it difficult for Internet users in the island republic to connect to websites hosted in the United States and Taiwan.

The last time users here experienced a major slowdown in Internet services was when the same cable was damaged by an earthquake in December 2006.

source: thestar